Surf-motor.



G. E. LANE.

SURF MOTOR.

APPLlcATloNImED JUNE 19, |915.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

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G. E. LANE.

SURF MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1915.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

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GEORGE E. LANE, OF ELLENDALE, NORTI-IIDAKOTA.

-SURF-MOTOBh rename.

Application filed .Tune 19, 1915.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. LANE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ellendale, county of Dickey, State of North Dakota, have invented a new and Tmproved Surf-Motor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to surf motors, that is, to motors controllable by surf waves and other analogous disturbances in the level of the water, my more particular purpose being to corral or partially inclose a body of water in motion, in such manner as to cause the depth of the water to increase beyond normal limits and to use this increased depth of water for actuating machinery.

My invention further contemplates further adjustments of the various parts of the surf motor for the purpose of adapting it foi use under different conditions, and particularly to enable the device to be used to its maximum capacity under conditions where the depth of the water is changed by tidal action.

My invention further comprehends a surf motor and an inclosing wall mounted movably upon a track, and thus adapted for being shifted in position from one point to another.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters indicate like parts.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved surf motor. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the gearing and electrical machinery used for conserving the energy developed.

`A pair of rails are shown at 4, and at 5 are a pair of track anges. A box pier is shown at G and is provided with gudgeons 7, upon which are mounted wheels S, these wheels engaging the rails 4. The box pier 6 is provided with hooks 9 which extend below the tops of the flanges 5 and serve to prevent the box pier from being lifted off the rails, or otherwise unduly displaced. The box pier is provided with a floor l0 having' at one end a downwardly curved portion 11; a float lever is shown at 12 and is provided with an upwardly turned end portion 13 and with side portions 14- disposed adjacent this end portion. The float lever 12 is further provided with side portions 15, samewhat narrower than the portion 14. The float lever 12 is mounted upon pivot Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Urct. 2/1, 1916.

serial No. 35,032.

pins 16, and thus adapted to rock. There are twoof these pivot pins 16, which are each carried by a sleeve 17. Each sleeve 17 slidably engages a pair of guide rods 1S extending' from top to bottom of the box pier, as shown in Fig. 1. Between the guide bars 18 is a screw 19, which engages the sleeve 17, the latter' thus serving' to some extent as a nut. Each screw 19 is journaled in the box pier, and at the top of each screw is a sprocket wheel 20, and a hand crank 21, a sprocket chain 22 extends across the box pier from one sprocket wheel 20 to the other. The operator by turning' either of hand cranks 21 may cause the rotation of the two screws 19, and by doing this may cause the sleeve 17 to be raised or lowered. This arrangement is for the purpose of adapting the float lever for different conditions of the water, and particularly to enable the float lever to be so disposed relatively to the water as to be acted upon by a maximum degree of energy thereof. The iioat lever 12 carries a bearing 23 disposed comparatively near the pivotal end of the float lever. A pitman 24: is pivotally connected to the bearing 23 and extends upwardly therefrom through the top of the box pier. Pivotally connected to the upper end of the pitman 2A is a bell crank lever 25. The pitman 24 is provided with a series of apertures so that it can be adjusted relative to the bell crank lever when the sleeves 17 are raised. The bell crank lever carries a pawl 26, and this pawl engages a ratchet wheel 27, which is mounted rigidly upon a revoluble shaft 2S. The bell crank lever 25 is mounted loosely upon this revoluble shaft. Bearings 29 support the revoluble shaft 28. Another pawl 30, which is pivotally mounted upon one of th-e bearings, engages the ratchet wheel 27 to prevent backward rotation thereof. Mounted loosely upon the shaft 28 is a gear wheel 31, and meshing' with this gear wheel is a pinion' 32. A spring casing 33 containw ing a spring' 34 is carried by the gear wheel 31. This spring 34C is wound stepby-step in rotation of the shaft 2S, and when this spring is once under tension it tends to cause the gear wheel 3.1'to rotate continuously. From the gear wheel 32 motion is communicated through a shaft 35, gear wheel 36 and pinion 37 to a shaft 38, which is the armature shaft of a generator 39. This generator produces electric current which may be either used for charging a storage battery,

or employed directly as desired in any suitable manner.

The operation of my device is as follows: The parts being assembled and arranged as described, so that the free end of the float lever l2 extends toward the water of the ocean, the pier box is moved among the rails 4 until the surgings, or waves of the surf, lift the float lever 12 and allow it to drop repeatedly. This causes the pitman 2i to rock the bell crank lever 25, and motion is transmitted through the gearing as above described, so as to cause the continuous rotation of the armature shaft 38, the generator 39 being thus energized continuously.

Owing to the form of the box pier, the water is corraled and thus caused to concentrateits efforts upon the iioat lever, so that this float lever is acted upon by a maximum of surf energy. rllhe intermittent rising and falling of the ioat lever, by causing the gearing to be actuated as above described, Winds the spring` 34 intermittently, but, as above explained, the rotation of the armature shaft 38 is comparatively constant. The power of the surf is thus utilized.

If owing to the rising or the falling of the tide, or to any other circumstance, it be desirable to move the apparatus farther out into the water, or to withdraw it, as the case may be, this is easily accomplished by pushing the'pier box along rails 4. Owing to the action of the flanges 5 the pier box cannot be unduly disturbed by large waves.

The current produced by the generator 39. is a comparatively steady current of uniform amperage and voltage, its energy being represented by thevavailable maximum energy obtainable from the intermittent power exerted by the surface waves upon the float lever. For all practical purposes the only `factor which need lbeV considered is the mean' energy developed by oscillation of the float lever, the current being equalized and steadied, that is, rendered comparatively uniform.

V I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown, as variations may be made therefrom, without departing from the Vspirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desireJ to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

l. In a surf motor the combination of rails for extending out into the surf, a pier box provided with wheels for engaging said rails, said pier box thus being movable bodily along said rails, means for preventing said pier box from leaving said rails, a iioat lever journaled upon said pier box, means controllable at the will of the operator for shifting the position of the ioat lever bodily in relafive cents each. by addressing the Washington, D. C. ,Y

tion to the pier box, and mechanism connected with said float lever and controllable by movements thereof for storing up energy due to movements ofsaid float lever by action of the water.

2. In a surf motor the combination of a pier box, guide rods extending vertically in said pier box at opposite sides thereof, a pair of sleeves engaging said guide rods, mechanism controllable at the will. of the operator for shifting the positions of said sleeves on said guide rods relatively to said pier box, a float lever mounted at one end'upon pivot pins, each carried by one of said sleeves at the lower end thereof, the ioat lever beingl` free to be rocked by movements of surf water, a pitman connected to said iioat lever adjacent the journaled end and gearing connected to said pitman and actuated by movements thereof for developing power.

3. A device of the character described comprising a float lever pivoted at one end and free at the other end, ratchet mechanism connected with said float lever adjacent its pivoted end and controllable by movements thereof, a spring connected with said ratchet mechanism and adapted to be wound thereby and gearing connected with said spring and driven by a power equalized by said spring.

4l. In a surf motor the combination of a box pier, screws journaled in said box pier, connections from one screw to another' for the purpose of enabling all of the screws to be turned together, sleeves connected with said screws and movable bodily in relation to said box pier as said screws are turned, a ioat lever journaled upon said sleeves and adapted to rock, the parts being so arranged that movements of said sleeves adjust the pivotal point of said float lever relatively to said box pier and mechanism connected with said float lever for developing power to be utilized.

A device of the character described comprising vertically adjustable members having guided movement, means for adjusting said members, a ioat lever pivoted at one end on said members and free at the other end, ratchet mechanism connected with said float lever and controllable by movements thereof, and mechanism connected with the ratchet mechanism for storing up energy.

In testimonv whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. LANE.

Witnesses:

H. H. PERRY, 7. L. BRILEY.

Commissioner of Patents, 

